The Prairie View A&M University men's basketball team lost to Texas Southern 87-82 Saturday night in the William J. Nicks Babydome.
 
Tevin Bellinger scored a career-high 24 points to lead all scorers. Zachary Hamilton scored 13 points and Ja'Donta Blakely added 12 and five assists for the Panthers (3-14 overall, 0-3 SWAC).
 
"I thought we played a really good first half," PVAMU head coach Byron Smith said. "I think we kind of took our foot off the gas a little bit. I don't think our guys do a great job with temporary success or short term success. When we started the second half, our goal was to get after it right away and start the way we finished the first half. For whatever reason, we didn't come out and start (the second half) the way I wanted us to, and it cost us."
 
The Panthers shot a blistering 68.4% from the field in the first half in taking a 41-31 halftime lead. Bellinger had a perfect half shooting the basketball, making all four field goal attempts, including a trio of three pointer and all four free throws in scoring 15 points. His three-pointer late in the opening half gave the PVAMU a 41-31 lead at intermission.
 
In the second half, Texas Southern (7-9, 3-0) used an early spurt to regain the lead and led by as many as 12 points with just over nine minutes to play before the Panthers started the comeback.
 
Prairie View A&M chipped away at the deficit over the next seven+ minutes, cutting the margin to two at 79-77 on a Bellinger layup but could not tie or regain the lead.
 
The Panthers return to action next Saturday at 5 p.m. hosting Jackson State in the William J. Nicks Babydome.
 

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